Lonely Among Us
' |image= |series= |production=40271-108 |producer(s)= |story=Michael Halperin |script=D. C. Fontana |director=Cliff Bole |imdbref=tt0708743 |guests=John Durbin as Ssestar, Colm Meaney as First Security Guard, Kavi Raz as Assistant Chief Engineer Singh |previous_production=The Last Outpost |next_production=Justice |episode=TNG A07 |airdate=2 November 1987 |previous_release=Where No One Has Gone Before |next_release=Justice |story_date(s)=Stardates 41249.3-41249.4 |previous_story=The Last Outpost |next_story=Justice }} =Summary= The Enterprise is en route to the planet "Parliament" with delegates from two warring planets in the Beta Renner system, the reptilian Selay and the canine Antican, when the ship encounters a strange energy cloud. Unseen by the crew, Lt. Worf is hit with a strange energy discharge as the ship passes the cloud, causing him to become violent. Doctor Beverly Crusher sedates Worf and brings him to the sickbay, but is also infused with the energy as she examines his body. Crusher begins to act oddly to those around her and goes to the bridge, asking questions about the ship's navigational functions. When she questions Lt. Cdr. Data at one of the science stations, the energy sparks between her and the console, leaving her confused as to why she is on the bridge. The ship suddenly begins to malfunction and Captain Picard sends Assistant Engineer Singh to investigate the cause. Singh is later found dead near a computer link, and Picard orders a murder investigation, considering the alien delegates to be prime suspects. Data investigates the murder in the manner of fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, and determines that the delegates were not responsible. Meanwhile, Counselor Deanna Troi evaluates both Worf and Crusher, finding neither recall their strange behavior. The ship suddenly drops again out of warp, and as Picard investigates the readouts at a bridge console, the strange energy transfers into him. The bridge crew becomes suspicious of Picard's actions after noting that all Enterprise systems are back to normal and that Picard has ordered them to return to the cloud. The senior officers attempt to plead with Picard to undergo a medical examination and to step down from command, but he refuses. When they return to the cloud, Picard announces that they had picked up an entity previously when they passed the cloud, and now Picard and the entity are one. Under its influence, Picard plans to transport themselves back into the cloud, and he shoots energy at the bridge crew when they try to stop him. The crew are unable to prevent Picard from beaming off the ship. However, Troi senses the Captain's essence nearby, and Picard manages to signal the crew through the ship's computers. Data is able to reverse the transport, reconstituting Picard without the entity. After determining that Picard is himself again, lacking the memories since he was taken over by the entity, the Enterprise continues onto Parliament. =Errors and Explanations= Plot Oversights # The nonchalance of Picard's crew regarding the demise of the Seley delegate.The crew are still in shock over what has happened to Picard. In any case, they know that the Anticans won’t change overnight. Changed Premises # Picard bullying Riker and Crusher into undergoing full physicals, while Kirk calmly listens to Spock and McCoy while acting in a seemingly equally erratic manner in Obsession.1) This could be a deliberate act by the creature to prevent it's discovery before it can return home. 2) Riker, Crusher and Picard have only served together for a short time in this episode. Spock, McCoy and Kirk had served together for longer at that point, giving McCoy and Spock a better understanding of Kirk's psychology. Equipment Oddities # Picard programming the transporter to beam him into the cloud as energy only with just one tap on a seemingly deactivated console. The energy creature may have been able to submit the full range of instructions with one touch. Nit Central # Keith Alan Morgan on Sunday, April 18, 1999 - 07:47 am: Toward the end of the episode, Picard says to the Bridge crew, "As many of you suspected when we passed by the energy cloud we carried away a sentient being." How would Picard know that any of them suspected this, I don't remember any scene where anyone even discussed the possibility. I think the closest anyone came was that they discovered that some presence had taken over Worf and Dr. Crusher, but no one said, "Hey, you don't think that energy cloud had something to do with it, do you?" Picard and/or the energy creature must have realised that Riker and Crusher had begun to suspect the truth, as this would explain them voicing their concerns over Picard's unusual actions. # Dan Harris on Monday, July 22, 2002 - 5:02 pm: After initialy investigating the energy cloud, Picard orders the Enterprise to warp 8 to reach the Pacifica peace conference on time. However, after temporarily losing warp power and subsequently regaining it, he orders the ship to resume it's course at warp 6. What happened? Was the peace conference postponed, thereby removing the urgency to reach Pacifica quickly? kerriem on Monday, July 22, 2002 - 8:27 pm: He wanted to go easier on what they weren't sure at that point were completely undamaged/stressed engine systems? Internet Movie Database Revealing mistakes # Data says the energy cloud is traveling at warp velocity, but when Enterprise makes its sensor pass the stars aren't streaking in the background. The cloud may have only appeared to travel at warp. =References= Category:The Next Generation Category:Episodes